Inverter for driving motor of vheicle

ABSTRACT

An inverter for driving a motor of a vehicle mediating between a battery and a driving motor is disclosed. The inverter includes a power storage module, a power module, and a cooling module. The power storage module is configured to be supplied with power from the battery. The power module is configured to be supplied with power from the power storage module to transfer the power to the driving motor. The cooling module is configured to be installed between the power storage module and the power module to simultaneously cool the power storage module and the power module.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No.10-2016-0161256, filed on Nov. 30, 2016, the entire contents of which isincorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to an inverter for driving a motor of avehicle, and more particularly, to an inverter for driving a motor of avehicle mediating between a battery and a driving motor.

2. Description of the Related Art

Eco-friendly vehicles such as an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle,etc., are driven by a driving motor operated by electricity.

A vehicle is heavy, and therefore there is a need to increase the outputof the driving motor in order to accelerate to a high speed. The outputof the driving motor is determined by a magnitude, a frequency, etc., ofan input voltage. In this case, the inverter including a power module isused to adjust the output while a DC current transferred from a batteryis converted into an AC current.

Describing in more detail the configuration of the inverter typicallyused, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inverter is configured toinclude a power module 10, a power storage module 20, and a coolingmodule 30. The inverter may further include a housing (not illustrated)enclosing the components.

The power module 10 is a core component that is supplied with the DCcurrent, converts the DC current into the AC current and controls anoutput and a frequency of a motor. The power storage module 20 is acomponent that temporarily stores a current supplied from a battery toconstantly keep electric energy supplied to the power module 10 andtakes up a largest volume in the inverter. The cooling module 30 is acomponent for cooling the power module 10 that generates heat during theconversion process of current. The inside of the cooling module 30 isprovided with a plurality of cooling passages and thus has coolingwater, etc., circulated in the cooling passages to cool the power module10.

To reduce the volume of the inverter, there is a need to optimize, inparticular, a size of the power storage module 20 among the foregoingcomponents. The power storage module 20 comprises a capacitor that isproportional to a size and power storage capacity. Here, the powerstorage module 20 deteriorates when the temperature of the components isincreased and thus the power storage capacity thereof is reduced. As aresult, minimum capacity, that is, a minimum volume of the power storagemodule 20 is calculated in consideration of that aspect.

If the power storage module 20 can be effectively cooled, the volume ofthe power storage module 20 may be minimized. But if the cooling is notappropriately made and thus temperature is increased, the volume of thepower storage module 20 needs to be increased to take in account thedeterioration in the power storage capacity.

Meanwhile, if the distance between the power module 10 and the powerstorage module 20 is increased, leakage inductance is increased, suchthat deterioration in performance is caused due to a momentary voltagespike. Therefore, the related art has used a structure in which thepower module 10 and the power storage module 20 are installed directlyadjacent to each other.

For existing inverters, FIG. 1 illustrates a vertical coupling structureand FIG. 2 illustrates a horizontal coupling structure. As illustrated,when the power module 10 and the power storage module 20 are adjacent toeach other, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the power storage module 20 andthe cooling module 30 are spaced apart from each other and thus thepower storage module 20 may not be cooled by the cooling module 30.Alternately, when the power module 10 and the power storage module 20are adjacent to each other as illustrated in FIG. 2, the size of thecooling module 30 becomes excessively large, thus causing the size ofthe inverter to become large.

Therefore, a new inverter structure capable of maintaining performanceby minimizing leakage inductance occurring between the power module 10and the power storage module 20 while minimizing the size of the powerstorage module 20 by cooling both the power module 10 and the powerstorage module 20 is required.

The matters described as the related art have been provided only forassisting in the understanding for the background of the presentdisclosure and should not be considered as corresponding to the relatedart known to those skilled in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

An object of the present disclosure is to provide an inverter fordriving a motor of a vehicle capable of minimizing a volume and leakageinductance.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, there isprovided an inverter for driving a motor of a vehicle mediating betweena battery and a driving motor, including: a power storage moduleconfigured to be supplied with power from the battery; a power moduleconfigured to be supplied with power from the power storage module totransfer the power to the driving motor; and a cooling module configuredto be installed between the power storage module and the power module tosimultaneously cool the power storage module and the power module.

The inverter may further include: a connection module configured toconnect the power storage module and the power module to transfer power.The connection module may be formed in a structure having a plus plateconnecting a plus terminal of the power storage module and a plusterminal of the power module and a minus plate connecting a minusterminal of the power storage module and a minus terminal of the powermodule are stacked in an insulated state.

The plus plate and the minus plate may each be formed in the shape ofthe letter L and have a first surface inserted between the power storagemodule and the cooling module and a second surface extending along aside surface of the cooling module from one end of the first surface,and a first surface of the plus plate and a first surface of the minusplate may be stacked and a second surface of the plus plate and a secondsurface of the minus plate may each be installed to contact each otherwhile being stacked.

The connection module may further include a plus terminal extending froma second surface of the plus plate to be connected to a plus terminal ofthe power module and a minus terminal extending from a second surface ofthe minus plate to be connected to a minus terminal of the power module.

The first surface of the plus plate or the first surface of the minusplate may be provided with a through hole so that the first surface ofthe plus plate and the plus terminal of the power storage module contacteach other and the first surface of the minus plate and the minusterminal of the power storage module contact each other.

The cooling module may cool the connection module and the power storagemodule may be indirectly cooled by the connection module cooled by thecooling module.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 and 2 are diagrams illustrating the existing inverter layout.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of an inverter according to anexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a connection module according to anexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the inverter according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Terminologies used herein are to mention only a specific exemplaryembodiment, and are not to limit the present disclosure. Singular formsused herein include plural forms as long as phrases do not clearlyindicate an opposite meaning. A term “including” used in the presentspecification concretely indicates specific properties, regions, integernumbers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, and is not toexclude presence or addition of other specific properties, regions,integer numbers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or a groupthereof.

All terms including technical terms and scientific terms used hereinhave the same meaning as the meaning generally understood by thoseskilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains unlessdefined otherwise.

Hereinafter, an inverter for driving a motor of a vehicle according toan exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be described withreference to the accompanying drawings.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, an inverter according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure is configured to include a powermodule 10, a power storage module 20, a cooling module 30, like theexisting inverter, illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. In addition, theinverter further includes a connection module 100 for minimizing leakageinductance occurring between the power module 10 and the power storagemodule 20.

According to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, thepower module 10, the cooling module 30, and the power storage module 20are sequentially disposed so that the cooling module 30 and the powerstorage module 20 may contact each other to effectively cool the powerstorage module 20. Thus, the cooling module 30 may simultaneously coolthe power module 10 and the power storage module 20.

As such, the cooling module 30 is disposed between the power module 10and the power storage module 20 to effectively cool the power storagemodule 20, thereby minimizing the overall volume of the inverter.

However, the power module 10 and the power storage module 20 are spacedapart from each other by the thickness of the cooling module 30.Therefore, a connection module 100 having a laminate bus bar structureis installed to minimize the increased leakage inductance.

The connection module 100 has a stacked structure in which a plus plate110 and a minus plate 120 are coupled with each other in an insulatedstate and may minimize the occurrence of leakage inductance byminimizing the distance therebetween while keeping a maximum contactarea between both poles.

The plus plate 110 is configured to connect between a plus terminal 11of the power module 10 and a plus terminal 21 of the power storagemodule 20. The minus plate 120 is configured to connect between a minusterminal 12 of the power module 10 and a minus terminal 22 of the powerstorage module 20.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the plus plate 110 is configured in theshape of the letter L having a first surface 112 and a second surface111 that extends perpendicularly from the first surface 112. The firstsurface 112 is inserted between the cooling module 30 and the powerstorage module 20 with the second surface 111 extending along a sidesurface of the cooling module 30. The minus plate 120 is also configuredin the shape of the letter L and has a first surface 122 and a secondsurface 121 that extends perpendicularly from the first surface 122. Thefirst surfaces 112 and 122 of the plus plate 110 and the minus plate 120are stacked to contact each other and the second surfaces 111 and 121 ofthe plus plate 110 and the minus plate 120 contact each other to formthe shape of the letter L.

The distance between the plus plate 110 and the minus plate 120 isminimized while the plus plate 110 and the minus plate 120 contact eachother over a wide area. Thus, the leakage inductance of currenttransferred may also be minimized.

A method for coupling a plus plate 110 and a minus plate 120 in aninsulated state is not particularly limited, but it is preferable tosimultaneously obtain insulation and adhesion by coupling the plus plate110 and the minus plate 120 using an adhesive having insulation.

The plus plate 110 further includes a plus terminal 113 extending froman end portion of the second surface 111 thereof. The plus terminal 113extends toward the power module 10 from the end portion of the secondsurface located opposite side of the other end portion contact to thefirst surface 112.

The minus plate 120 further includes a minus terminal 123 extending fromthe second surface 121. The installation position and form of theterminal 123 are similar to that of the plus terminal 113.

The plus terminal 113 is connected to the plus terminal 11 of the powermodule 10 and the minus terminal 123 is connected to the minus terminal12 of the power module 10. Here, the plus terminal 113 and the minusplate 120 and the minus terminal 123 and the plus plate 110 each arepreferably separated from each other not to contact each other orcoupled surfaces thereof are preferably insulated.

Both the first surface 112 of the plus plate 110 and the first surface122 of the minus plate 120 are installed between the cooling module 30and the power storage module 20. Here, the plus plate 110 and the minusplate 120 have a stacked structure. Therefore, only any one of the twoplates may contact the power storage module 20.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 5, according to the exemplary embodiment ofthe present disclosure, the minus plate 120 is installed to contact thepower storage module 20 and the plus plate 110 is installed to contactthe cooling module 30.

In this case, the plus plate 110 may not be coupled with the plusterminal 21 of the power storage module 20. Therefore, a portion of thefirst surface 122 of the minus plate 120 is provided with a through hole124 to form a path through which the plus plate 110 and the plusterminal 21 of the power storage module 20 may be coupled with eachother.

Of course, the present disclosure is not limited that arrangement. Byreversing the stacking order of the positive plate 110 and the minusplate 120, the first surface 112 of the plus plate 110 may be providedwith a through hole 114 to form a path through which the minus plate 120and the minus terminal 22 of the power storage module 20 are coupledwith each other.

The cooling module 30 directly cools the power module 10 and theconnection module 100 that are installed to be directly contactedthereto. The connection module 100 cooled by the cooling module 30 inturn cools the power storage module 20 installed to be contactedthereto. Thus, the cooling module 30 indirectly cools the power storagemodule 20.

The inverter for driving a motor of a vehicle according to the exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure has the following effects.

First, it is possible to minimize the size of the power storage moduleby effectively cooling the power storage module.

Second, it is possible to minimize leakage inductance by connecting thepower module and the power storage module using the layered planarlaminate bus bar.

Although exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have beendescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled inthe art will appreciate that various modifications and alterations maybe made without departing from the spirit or essential feature of thepresent disclosure.

Therefore, it should be understood that the above-mentioned embodimentsare not restrictive but are exemplary in all aspects. It is to beunderstood that the scope of the present disclosure will be defined bythe claims rather than the above-mentioned description and allmodifications and alternations derived from the claims and theirequivalents are included in the scope of the present disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. An inverter for driving a motor of a vehiclemediating between a battery and a driving motor, comprising: a powerstorage module configured to be supplied with power from the battery; apower module configured to be supplied with power from the power storagemodule to transfer the power to the driving motor; and a cooling moduleconfigured to be installed between the power storage module and thepower module to simultaneously cool the power storage module and thepower module.
 2. The inverter of claim 1, further including: aconnection module configured to connect the power storage module and thepower module to transfer power, wherein the connection module is formedin a structure having a plus plate connecting a plus terminal of thepower storage module and a plus terminal of the power module and a minusplate connecting a minus terminal of the power storage module and aminus terminal of the power module, the plates being stacked in aninsulated state.
 3. The inverter of claim 2, wherein each plus plate andeach minus plate are formed in the shape of the letter L and have afirst surface inserted between the power storage module and the coolingmodule and a second surface extending along a side surface of thecooling module from one end of the first surface, and a first surface ofthe plus plate and a first surface of the minus plate are stacked and asecond surface of the plus plate and a second surface of the minus plateare installed to contact each other while being stacked.
 4. The inverterof claim 3, wherein the connection module further includes a plusterminal extending from a second surface of the plus plate to beconnected to a plus terminal of the power module and a minus terminalextending from a second surface of the minus plate to be connected to aminus terminal of the power module.
 5. The inverter of claim 3, whereinthe first surface of the minus plate is provided with a through hole sothat the first surface of the plus plate and the plus terminal of thepower storage module contact each other.
 6. The inverter of claim 3,wherein the first surface of the plus plate is provided with a throughhole so that the first surface of the minus plate and the minus terminalof the power storage module contact each other.
 7. The inverter of claim2, wherein the cooling module cools the connection module, and the powerstorage module is indirectly cooled by the connection module.